Multicolor-printing press.



A. P. HARLAND.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. P. ERLNB,

MLTIGOLOR PRINTING- PRESS.

APPLIGAHOH FILED 2513.15, 1909.

IQQ.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patemfed. Sept. 21,

A.`P.HARLAND.

MULTIGOLOR PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.15, 1909.

www@ m Lm Pw M UNTED STATES PATENT ALLEN P. HARLAND, OF TUFELO,MISSSSPPI.

IVIULTCOLGR-PRINTING PRESS.

To all 11j/tom may concern.'

Be it known that l', ALLEN l?. -Linnlmn,

siulticolor-Printing lress, et Which the tollminig is :i soecificntion.

rEllis invention has reference to iniproveinents in multi-color printingpresses und incre particularly to an attachment tor printing presseswhereby en ordinary printing press iney be coniferted into nniulticolei.' printing press et srnall cost.

l hure already devised s niulti-color atteclnnent tor ordinari7 printingpresses wherein provision is inade `t'or u. nuinber ot druins or rollerscapable ot receiving suitable printing surfaces such as stereotypeplates und which muy be brought into register with any portion ot' usheet being printed by un ordinary printing press to lill in in coloredinn'iressions portions et the sheet being printed *which portions arelett blank in the impression nitide by the ordinary `printing press.

For the purposes of the aforesaid invention removable andinterchangeable inliing units are provided, one tor each printing drinnor combination orn printing druins so that with u rnininiuin znnount ottrouble und G niej? be used at will and in different positions desiredand changes in the color or" the imprint or the locution ot the iinprintwith or Without changes ot color nitty be runde with great facility.

lfliile the tornier structure Which have devised answered the purposeadmirably l here touinl that the toriner structure nitty beudi'entegeously changed in sonie particulars -\.'\ith added facility inbundling.

he present intention relates to these de- 'onstruction wherebyv thetoriner hns been improved by rendering inter-change ot the inlting unitsniore easily pertorned und by a simplification oi,x the structure insonie directions While in other directions the structure is anipliliedund in \"sed advantages thereby obtained. The neutron will be best.understood troni o. consideration ot the following detail descriptiontollen in connection with the accompanying drawings torniing s part otthe speriiicutioiu in which drawings,

Figure l is side elevation ot un improved inling unit upplied to one otthe adjustable itizen ot the United States, residing at upelo. in thecounty ot Lee und Stute ot `ilississippi, here invented e. new undusetul i -ienditure ot time differently colored inks ders Q are designedto be adire-:ted longitu- Speecetion of Letters Patent. lrtiitggl @epln2li.,

.Application February 15, 1939.

Serial No. 477,915.

printing ruins or cylinders, with parts snou'n in section. Fig. 2 is ucentral section printing press but viewed et right angles to the showingot Fig. B. F ig. 5 is un end elerution with purts brolten may et theslifitt und geurs tnereon tor carrying the adjustuble printing drunis orcylinders. Fig. (i is si central cross section through the structure 'i'5 Fig. 7 is u section through the g ineens tor the composition rollersinl'ing units. Fig. S is u detail seetion showing the shutt und journalsupporting arins ot' the inlt transfer roller ot the inliing unit andalso showing other parts, S ik e, detail section oit the ineens ioradjusting the throw ot the structure shown in Fig. l is o detailperspectiie showing latch inechunisin employed in connection with theinking units.

Referring to the drou'ings there is shown in Figs. l and 2 und also in 3und l. u shaft l extending across the pi, ting pref-fs and driven ininunner o be prei-ientljT described. dounted on this sli-ott` ure enuniber ot drums or cylinders 2 designed to receii'e on the periphery7stereotype plates 3 or other suitable printing surfaces. Thecylindinelly ot the shaft l und secured in the edjusted positions astney be desired. For this purpose the hub of euch cjflinder 2 is splitas indicated und the sections niej; be druun together by bolts 5 orotherwise to clunip the cylinders Q on the shatt l when the adjustinenthis been accomplished.

rltssuining that the inuin iniliirinting surteees ot the press aredesigned to print with bluclt inl; upon the paper und that it isdesirable to produce insert in colored inl( in spaces lett tor thepurpose in the inein iniprint, then the cylinders 2 ure properlyedjusted so that their printing surtuces I2 Will register with theblonlt spaces or the inuin iniprint and bjr properly inling theseprinting surfaces 3 with 'the desired colored inlthe inserts ureimprinted in the blfinl; spaces in colors instead of black. The .tactthat the invention is designed inore perticulurlqv 'tor the use otcolored inks does not preclude the use ot block ink tor the imprinting srtuces 3 it occasion should arise tor such use.

The cylinders Q ure provided `With reinofable and interchangeable inkingunits which may be of a width sufficient to supply one cylinder 2 orsupply two or more such cylinders when brought into end engagement. Eachinking unit is provided with a frame composed of two spaced side members6' arranged at one point to embrace the shaft 1 on each side of acylinder 2 or group of cylinders 2. lVhere the side members 6 of theinking unit frame embrace the shaft 1 there is provided a latch member 7co-acting with the corresponding side member 6 to complete the embracingof the shaft 1. At one side of the shaft 1 the member 7 is hinged to thecorresponding member 6 by a hinge link 8. Extending across the machineparallel with the shaft 1 is a bar 9 and this bar is embraced by acorresponding portion of each side member 6 and latch member 7, the saidmembers being suitably notched or recessed for this purpose. r

The side members 6 of each printing unit are connected together by boltsor rods 10 some or all of which may be provided with spacing sleeves 11.One of the rods 10 extends between the two end members 6 of the printingframe unit adjacent to the rod 9 and similarly located with reference tothe rod 9 is another' rod 12 extending between the ends of the latchmembers 7 adjacent to the rod 9. The rods 10 are secured to the sidemembers 6 by nuts or otherwise so that they may be considered for allpractical purposes as permanent connections. The rod 12 is howeversimply passed through suitable perforations in the latch member 7 and isonly temporarily connected thereto. This rod carries an elongated hookmember 13 bent on itself at one end to encircle the rod 12 and at theother end formed into a hook extension 14 adapted to engage over theadjacent rod 10 so that when so engaged the latch members 7 are madefast at the corresponding end of the side members 6, but the elasticityof the hook member or lip 14 will permit the disengagement of the hook13 from the corresponding rod 10 at will. rlhe rod 12 near each end isprovided with a notch 15 of such width as to readily but snugly receivethe corresponding portion of the latch members 7. When the hooked end 14is engaged over the corresponding rod 10 then the rod 12 is moved atright angles to its longitudinal axis to a suflicient extent. to causethe latch members 7 to enter the recesses 15 and in this position thelatch members 74 are brought into snug engagement with the correspondingportions of the side members 6.

In the structure which I previously devised and which is in manyrespects similar to the inking unit shown in the present drawings, therod 12 was in fixed relation to the latch members 7 and hence the inkingunit could only be removed from the shaft 1.

and corresponding cylinder 2 by moving the latter well out of engagementwith the surface on which the imprints were to be made. Vith thestructure just described with relation to the present invention the hook13 may be disengaged from the rod 10 and then by disengaging the rod 12from the members 7 by the complete removal of said rod from said member7 together with the hook 13 it will be seen that the inking unit may bereadily removed from both the cylinder 2 and shaft 1 without disturbingeither of them, the latch members 7 being carried along the sides ofthecylinder 2 without interference from the rod 12 which has already beenremoved.

Extending across the frame of the printing press parallel with the shaft1 and out of engagement with but in operative relation to the cylinders2 is a vibrating roller 16 designed to apply ink to composition rollers17 carried by the inking units and t0 which rollers reference willpresently be made. The roller 16 is common to all the individual inkingunits and is mounted in suitable journal bearings in a frame independentof the main frame 17 of the printing press, and is capable of a limitedmovement in the direction of its longitudinal axis. To provide thismovement one end of the roller 16 has a continuation 18 carrying agrooved wheel 19 which engages one end of a lever 20 the other end ofwhich latter engages in a cam groove 21 in a cam wheel 22 fast on theshaft 1. The lever 20 is mounted in a bracket 23 secured to anappropriate portion of the frame 17 and this bracket is provided withtwo ears 24 between which the lever 2O is pivotally supported by meansof a suitable pivot pin 25. Each ear 24 is provided with a series ofperforations 26 for the reception of the pivot pin 24 and the lever 2Ois provided with like perforations so that by introducing the pivot pin24 in any one of the sets of perforations the relative movement of thetwo ends of the lever 2O may be adjusted at will and consequently thecam groove 21 acting on the lever 2O may be made to cause a large orsmall longitudinal movement of the roller 16. Each inking unit carries asuitable ink fountain 27 in which dips a roller 28 while the amount ofthe ink carried by the roller 28 is determined by an adjustable lip 29under the control of a screw 30.

Ink is transferred from the roller 28 to the roller 16 by a transferroller 31 having its journal 32 extending` through slots 38 in the endplates 6 of the inking unit and there carried by arms 34 exterior to theend plates 6 but in close relation thereto. These-arms 34 are made fastto an arbor 35 extending through the inking unit from one end plate 6 tothe other and journaled in said end plates and extend beyond the same.One of "the roller 2S.

the arms Si is extended beyond the arbor 35 in the torni of an angle arm3G and carrying at the tree end roller 37 arranged to engage theperiphery ot' a cam collar 3S made fast to the shaft 1 close to thecorresponding side member G or' the inlring unit. The collar is providedwith a cam projection 39 adapted to engage With the roller 237 and somove the arm 3G that it Will rock the arbor 35 suiiiciently to carry theroller 31 from contact With the roller 16 into contact With Then theroller 37 is free from engagement With the cam projection 39 the partsWill immediately gravitate to their normal positions which is ivith theroller 31 in engagement With the roller 16. Since it is sometimesadvisable to adjust the throvv ot the roller 31 this is accomplished bymounting` the roller 37 on an eccentric stud Lt() carried by the arm 3G.By this means the relation of the roller 87 'to the arm 3G may beestablished at the will of the operator.

At one end the arbor extends beyond the corresponding arm 3-1 and therecarries an angle lever a1 one arm ot which is long enough to normallyrest on or in close relation to the shaft 1, its movement in thisdirection being limited by a pin 43 projecting from the correspondingend plate 6 or the inlring unit. This arm 1Q is normally under theaction of a spring 4e tending to maintain it in contact With the pin Thecam projection 39 carries a pin 45 in the path of which the end of thearm 42 is located so that While the arm 3G is still under the action ofthe cam 39 the pin #l5 will engage the arm 112 and move it acorresponding distance. The lever a1 has at the end remote '.t'rom thearm 42 another arm et@ carrying at its free end al paivl L17 inoperative relation to a ratchet Wheel 4S on the arbor of the rollerwhich at this point projects beyond the corresponding end plate 5. Thepaivl l17 is shoivn as of the gravity type but it ivill be understoodthat it may be spring constrained instead of gravity constrained. "Whenthe pin engages the arm and moves it against the action of the springfiel then the arm 46 is moved in a direction which causes the pavvl y117to engage the ratchet Wheel 11S and rotate the roller 27 a commensuratedistance. This action occurs While the roller 31 is in contact With theroller 2S because or' the action of the cam 39 on the roller 37 carriedby the corresponding end of the lever 86. 1t therefore transpires thatthe inl: roller 2S causes a rotative movement of the roller 31 andconsequently the inl; is transferred to a considerable surface of saidroller 31 instead of depositing a narrow band of ink thereon. l,"Vhenthe cam 89 has moved out of engagement With the roller 37 and the pin 45is out or" engagement vvith the arm then the roller 31 returns intoengagement' with the roller 1G and the spring il returns the lever 1-1inactively about the ratchet Wheel a8 to its normal position.

The composition rollers 17 are supported on each side of the roller 16when the inking unit is in place so as to be in engagement ivith theroller 16 and also With the printing surface 1oeing carried by the drumBut since each inlring roller is designed to be readily removable fromoperative relation to any particular drum Q, and since the roller 16 iscontinuons across the machine provision is made for the ready removalor' this portion ot the inling unit from engagement With the roller 1G.For this purpose the side members G of each unit are cut aivay orrecessed as shovvn at ii9 so as to receive the roller 1G between thecomposition rollers 17 and when an inliing unit is in proper positionivith relation to a drum 2 then these portions or' the side members 6 ofan inlring unit overhang and straddle the roller 1G.

In the device Which l previously devised. the composition rollers 17carried on their arbors end disks rolling on the periphery ot the drum 2and so imparting motion to these rollers. Because oit the Wear of thecomposition rollers the latter will become reduced in diameter to anextent to carry them out of contact with the roller 1G or its equiv- 95aient, the said roller 16 being replaced by a. similar roller individualto each inliing unit in the aforesaid structure .vhich 1 have devised,vvhile the end disks or the rollers 17 Would have practically no Wear atall.

in the present structure there is shrinkage ot the rollers 17, butprovision is made for compensating for this shrinkage so that the roller17 may always be maintained in proper contact With 'the roller 16 andwith the surfaces to be inked. For this purpose the journal or sha'tt 50of each roller 17 is mounted in a journal bearing 51 in the torni ot aprojecting sleeve trom a plate 5") The sleeve 51 extends through apassage in the corresponding side member G oit' the inhing unit, whichpassage is or such size as to permit considerable movement` oit' thesleeve Within said passage in a direction lateral to the length or thepassage. "he plate is secured to the corresponding end member t3 of theinliing unit by screws Twor other such means passing through enlarg dholes 55 in the plate 52 while the heads or the screws or other suchdevices 5t engage vashers 56 or' sufficient size to always cover thehole or pei'iii'ation .E5 in the plate 52. By this means a universaladjustment or the rollers 17 with relation to the roller 1o and theprinting surfaces on a drum 2 is provided. 125

1t is at limes necessary to move rthe drums 2 aivay from the surface tohe printed or to move them into operative relation thereto.

For this purpose the shaft 1 is mounted near each end in a trame 57interior to the main 130 frame 17 of the machine and this frame alsocarries the rod 9 and the roller 16. r1`he frame 57 is mounted to slideupon a base or supporting frame 5S secured to the main frame or the bedof the main frame and a clamp member 59 is employed to lock the frame 57to the frame 58 in any desired position of adjustment, the latter beingaccomplished by means of set screws 60 acting on opposite sides of endsof the frame 57. By loosening the clamp members 59 and suitablymanipulating the screws 60, the frame 57 may be moved in a direction tocarry the drums 2 away from the surface to be imprinted or to carry itinto operative relation thereto as may be desired. A small portion ofthe cylinder designed to carry the surface to be imprinted is indicatedin Fig. 3 at 61.

Power is applied to the shaft 1 by means of a gear wheel 62 mounted onsaid shaft at one end thereof and coupled thereto in a manner to bedescribed, and this gear wheel is in mesh with an idler pinionl 63mounted in journal bearings on the frame 57. The idler 63 is in meshwith a gear wheel 64: mounted on a shaft 65 which may be a shaft formingpart of an ordinary printing press such, for instance, as a part of thepaper delivering mechanism of the press, and this shaft receives powerfrom the prime mover of the press in any suitable manner. Of coursewhere the shaft 65 is not present in the machine other driving means maybe provided for the shaft 1. TWhere the gear wheel 6% and idler 63 isemployed to drive the gear wheel 62, the normal position of the axis ofthe idler 63 is directly beneath the axis of the shaft 65 so that underpower conditions the pinion 63 and gear wheel 64; should be in mesh inthe best relation of the teeth. wWhen the shaft 1 is moved away from thesurface to be imprinted, that is away from the cylinder 61 then theteeth of the pinion 63 are no longer in the best relation with the teethof the gear wheel 64 but the movement of the frame 57 with the shaft 61is so limited that the pinion 53 is still in mesh with the gear wheel 64and therefore the adjustments of the parts ismaintained even though theimprinting from the surfaces 8 is not proceeding'. Under these lastconditions however, the load on the pinion 63 is very light and theslight imperfection of mesh between the pinion 63 and gear wheel 64C isof no moment.

1t is often desirable to rotate the shaft 1 with the drums 2 thereonabout its longitudinal aXis without preventing the ready restablislnnentof the proper relation of the parts which might occur if the gear wheel62 was moved to a position out of mesh with the driving element. Forthis purpose the gear wheel 62 is mounted loosely on the shaft 1 andprovision is made for coupling the gear wheel to the shaft or un- -anyother purpose.

coupling it at will while provision is also made that when the shaft isrecoupled to the gear wheel the original relations shall be established.Keyed upon the shaft 1 is a disk 66 inset into the gear wheel 62, theweb 67 of which latter is displaced to one side of the median line ofthe periphery of the wheel so as to form a recess or chamber in whichthe disk 66 may be housed. The inner face of the toothed periphery ofthe gear wheel at points diametrically opposite is formed with spacedears 68 designed to receive a tongue 69 on one end of a block 70 adaptedto slide between guiding ribs 71 on the inner face of the disk 66.Between the guiding ribs 71 on each side of the center the disk 66 isformed with a radial slot 72. Through each slot there projects a pin 73threaded at one end to enter a corresponding threaded passage in theblock 70, and at the other end exterior to the disk 66 the pin is formedwith a winged head 74, the rod 73 and head 74 constituting a thumb screwof ordinary construction.

`When the blocks are projected radially outward the tongues 69 engagebetween the ears 68 and the gear wheel 62 is thereby locked to the disk66 and through it to the shaft 1 so that on rotating the gear wheel 62the shaft 1 will participate in such movement. When the thumb nuts 64are loosened then the blocks 70 may be retracted toward the axis of theshaft 1 until the tongues 69 are free from engagement with the ears 68and then the shaft 1 may be rotated independent of the gear wheel 62.Under such circumstances the drums 2 may be rotated to any positiondesired for the cleaning or inspection or inter-change of the printingsurfaces 3. By providing suitable indicating marks 7 5 upon the disk 66and an adjacent part of the gear wheel 62 the proper relation of theshaft and members carried thereby to the gear wheel 62 may be alwaysrestablished after this relation has been disturbed for the purposesmentioned or for Then the blocks 70 have been again moved radiallyoutward and the'tongues 69 are brought into position between the ears 68then the thumb nuts 73, 711 may be tightened and the machine is readyfor operation.

It will be observed that the shortest distance between the adjacentperipheries of the rollers 17 is less than the diameter of the roller16, but this will not interfere with either the placing of the inkingunit or the removal thereof since the rollers 17 being of compositionare more or less elastic, and will readily permit the passage of theroller 16 between them.

Movement of the inking unit in the direction of the length of the shaft1 is prevented by the comparatively close fit of the side members 6 tothe sides of the drums 2, so a ing distributing roller common to all ofsaid units.

in an attachment for printing presses having a plurality of printingdrums adjustable inthe direction of their axes of rotation, a pluralityof inlring units each composed of an inl; reservoir, inl-:ing rollers,and an oscillatory il: transfer roller, and an ink distributing rollercommon to all the inlring units.

:in attachment for printing presses having a plurality of printing drumsadjustable in the direction of their axes of rotation, a plurality ofinlring units each composed of an inl; reservoir, inlring rollers, andan oscillatory inl; transfer roller, and a vibratory inl; distributingroller common to all the inlring units.

4L. ln a printing press, an ink reservoir, a roller for delivering inl;therefrom, an ink transfer roller, an arbor provided with arms carryingthe inlr transfer roller, another arm fast on the arbor, a pawl andratchet mechanism for the inl; delivering roller, a lever mounted on thearbor and carrying the pawl, and a cam member having means forsimultaneously engaging the last named arm on the arbor and the pawlcarrying lever.

lu an attachment for printing presi s, a. plurality of type or printingdrums, a shaft carrying the same and along` which they are adjustable, aplurality of n'iovable and interchangeable inlring units each comprisingan inl: reservoir, a roller for delivering inl: therefrom, an inl;transfer roller, an arbor provided with arms carrying' the inl; transferroller, another arm fast on the arbor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism forthe ink delivering roller, and a lever carrying the pawl, and a cammember on the shaft adj acent to each typo or printing drum and havingmeans for simultaneously engaging the second named arm on the arbor andpawl carrying lever of an inking unit.

G. ln a printing press, a removable and interchangeable inlring unitcomprising an inl; reservoir, inl; delivering and transfer rollers, andinliing rollers, and an inl; spreading roller to which the inliing unitmay be applied at different points and adapted to be interposed betweenthe transfer and the inking rollers of the said inling unit.

T. ln a printing press, a plurality of type or printing cylinders ordrums, removable and interchangeable inlring units each comprising aninl; reservoir, inlr rollers and an ink transfer roller, and an inkdistributing roller common to all the iulring units and i adapted to beinterposed between the inlring rollers and the transfer' roller. y

ln a printing press, a plurality of type or printing cylinders or drums,removable and interchangeable inlring units each comprising an inlrreservoir, inlring rollers, and an ink transfer roller, and an inkdistributing roller common to all the inlting units and adapted to beinterposed between the inliing rollers and the inl; transfer roller,said inliing unit having the inl: rollers spaced apart and adapted toengage the distributing roller on the opposite sides of its longitudinalaxis.

9. In a printing press, a plurality of type or printing drums orcylinders, removable and interchangeable inlting units each comprisingan ink reservoir, inl; rollers, and an inl; transfer roller, and avibratory ink distributing roller common to all the inling units andadapted to be interposed between the inlring rollers and the inktransfer roller, said inlring unit having' the inlting rollers spacedapart and adapted to engage the distributing roller on opposite sides ofits longitudinal axis.

l0. In a printing press, a shaft, type or printing drums or cylindersthereon, a roller parallel with the shaft, and removable andinterchangeable inlring units each provided with spaced side platesengaging the shaft and rod parallel therewith, latch members pivoted atone end to the side plates and adapted to coact with the side plates tolock the lat-ter to the shaft and rod, and means for securing the latchmember to the main portion of the inlring units at the ends remote fromthe pivoted ends comprising a removable rod engaging the latch membersat the ends and the hook member carried by the rod and adapted to engagethe main portion of the inking unit.

ll. In a printing press, a shaft, type or printing drums or cylindersthereon, a rod parallel with the shaft, and removable andinterchangeable inlring units each provided with spaced side platesengaging both the shaft and rod parallel therewith, latch memberspivoted at one end to the side plates and adapted to coa et with theside plates to lock the latter to the shaft and rod, and means forsecuring the latch members to the main portion of the inlring unit atthe end remote from the pivoted ends comprising a removable notched rodengaging the latch member at the notches, and a hook member carried bythe rod and adapted to engage the main portion of the inling unit.

12. An attachment for printing presses comprising type or printingdrums, a shaft carrying the same, a frame in which thie shaft isournaled, said frame being adjustable in a direction atright angles tothe length of the shaft, a gear `wheel mounted on the shaft, an idlergear mounted on the frame and in mes-h with the gear on the shaft, and adrive gear having its aXis fixed With relation to the aXis of the idler,the plane of the axes of the drive gear and idler being perpendicular tothe plane of move-v inent of said frame when the type or printing drumsare in active position.

13. An inking unit for printing presses having spaced side plates,composition ink rollers, and journal bearings for the inl;- ing rollerseach comprising a pla-te with an extended bearing for the journal of theink roller and fastening means for the plates engaging the side platesof the inking unit, said side plates having enlarged openings for thereception of the journal bearings on the rst named plates and the latterhaving enlarged openings for the passage of the fastening devices.

In testimony that I Claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiiXedmy signa# ture in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALLEN P. HARLAND.

litnesses E. HUME TALBERT, E. DANIELS.

